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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/23/01Hastings Planning Commission April 23rd, 2001 Regular Meeting 7:00 p.m. Chairman Strauss called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. 1. Roll Call Commissioners Present: Anderson, Greil, Hollenbeck, Michno, Stotko, Strauss, Twedt. Commissioners Absent: None Staff Present: City Planner Matthew Weiland, Associate Planner Kris Jenson 2. Approve March 26th 2001 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes. Commissioner Anderson moved and Commissioner Twedt seconded a motion to accept the minutes as written. The vote was unanimous. 3. Public Hearing - Comp Plan Amendment (South Pines IV Land Use designation and MUSA Adjustment) Planner Weiland presented background information. Chairperson Strauss opened the public hearing at 7:06 pm. As there were no comments from the audience, the public hearing was closed at 7:07 pm. There were no comments from the Planning Commission. Planning Commission Action: Commissioner Twedt moved and Commissioner Stotko seconded a motion to recommend to the City Council the approval of a Resolution submitting comprehensive plan amendments to the Metropolitan Council. Upon vote taken, Ayes, 7, Nays, 0. Motion carried. 4. Public Hearing - Comp Plan Amendment (Century South Land Use designation and MUSA Adjustment) Planner Weiland presented background information. Chairperson Strauss opened the public hearing at 7:10 pm. With no comments from the audience, the public hearing was closed at 7:11 pm. Chairperson Strauss clarified an error she made with regards to this proposal in a radio interview. Commissioner Anderson asked for clarification on the concept plan for this proposal. Planner Weiland responded that the Planning Commission has reviewed and given approval of a concept plan for this project. The City cannot review the Plat, however, until the land is annexed into the City of Hastings, which it recently was. Planning Commission Action: Commissioner Anderson moved and Commissioner Greil seconded a motion to recommend to the City Council the approval of a Resolution submitting comprehensive plan amendments to the Metropolitan Council. Upon vote taken, Ayes, 7, Nays, 0. Motion carried. 5. Public Hearing - Rezoning South Pines IV Planner Jenson presented background information on the project. Chairperson Strauss opened the public hearing at 7:14 pm, and hearing no comments from the audience, closed the public hearing at 7:15 pm. There were no comments from the Planning Commission. Planning Commission Action: Commissioner Michno moved and Commissioner Hollenbeck seconded a motion to recommend to the City Council to approve the rezoning of the property to R-1 Low Density Residence and R-2 Medium Density Residence, subject to Metropolitan Council approval of the MUSA and comprehensive plan amendments. Upon vote taken, Ayes, 7, Nays, 0. Motion carried. 6. Freitag Property - Concept Plan Planner Weiland presented background information on the proposal. Peter Likes, 3000 East 4th Street, inquired about the status of 4th Street East of the Vermillion River bridge, and whether it was an easement or actual right-of-way. He also inquired about land north of 4th Street and whether it can be counted towards the clustering. Planner Weiland responded that 4th Street is actually an easement in that area. He also stated that the land north of 4th Street is included in the clustering totals. Commissioner Anderson inquired about a couple of lots shown on the site map near the old Freitag farm site, west of the 4th Street bridge. Planner Weiland responded that while there are a couple of building sites in that area, they were not included with the concept plan. Those particular lots are located within the MUSA and will be required to hook up to City sewer and water. John Dwyer, surveyor of the concept plan, stated that the existing buildings on the farm site are intended to be torn down. Commissioner Stotko asked what the 100 year floodplain elevation for this area was, and what the elevation of the bridge was. Mr. Dwyer responded that it is 693' and that buildings are required to be a minimum two (2) feet above that elevation. He was unsure of the bridge elevation, but he knew that it was close to the 100 year elevation. Commissioner Hollenbeck asked if there was sufficient land area in the proposed lots to meet the requirements for wells and septic systems. Planner Weiland responded that they would need to determine that information as a part of the platting process. Commissioner Anderson inquired if there was City water available to the site. Planner Weiland stated that there was not, but that the Public Works Department could evaluate the feasibility of extending water to the site. Chairperson Strauss inquired about nitrate levels in the area. Mr. Likes responded that he has lived in that area for many years and has never had a problem with nitrates. Commissioner Greil inquired if the proposed road would be the only access for the site, or if there would be another connection. Planner Weiland stated that this would be a dead end street. Commissioner Michno asked how many homes were in the area now. Planner Weiland responded that there are 4 homes at the end of the road, and a fifth just to the east of the bridge. Chairperson Strauss asked Planner Weiland to review the conditions, which he did. Commissioner Twedt asked how many times the City has approached the 100 year flood level, and who designates the elevations and levels. Planner Weiland stated that the City has had flooding 3 times in the past 10 years and that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) determines the flood elevations and designations. Chairperson Strauss added that a 100 year flood simply means that there is a 1% chance of a flood of that level each year. Commissioner Twedt stated that he liked the clustering and the preservation of the land, but is concerned about future flooding and flood elevations. Chairperson Strauss explained the difference between areas of the floodway and the flood fringe. She doesn=t necessarily feel that land located within the floodway should be counted towards clustering, as it isn=t developable to begin with. Commissioner Stotko asked what the City's liability would be if there was a 200 year event. Planner Weiland stated that as long as we follow the flood maps and our adopted ordinances, we would not be liable in that event. Mr. Likes stated that the high point of the land where the clustering is proposed would only flood if the waters were so high that the Mississippi River and Lake Isabel met. Commissioner Anderson stated that he was uncomfortable building outside the utility areas, especially from a fire protection standpoint. Chairperson Strauss asked Commissioner Anderson about the use of dry hydrants. Commissioner Anderson suggested that they were not worth the expense. Commissioner Stotko noted that there would be great expense in building the road and reconstructing the bridge. Commissioner Michno asked what the total number of buildable acres available in the Freitag property. Mr. Likes estimated it at around 80 acres. Chairperson Strauss reminded the commissioners that this item before them needed a recommendation to the City Council. Commissioner Anderson asked that a condition stating that the issue of City water being extended to the homes be examined as a feasibility for this project. Planning Commission Action: Commissioner Stotko moved and Commissioner Twedt seconded a motion to recommend to the City Council the approval of the Freitag property concept plan, subject to the following conditions: That the East 4th Street bridge would have to be raised above the 100 year flood elevation. That a permanent road built to City standards would have to be constructed to serve this property. The road would have to be built above the 100 year flood elevation. That the applicant will be required to submit a full preliminary plat and cluster development information before a preliminary plat and cluster development will be processed for approval. That the applicant understands that this concept plan approval does not guarantee future approvals for a residential project on this property. The issue of City water being extended to the homes be examined as a feasibility for this project. Upon vote taken, Ayes, 7, Nays, 0. Motion carried. 7. Updates and Other Business Planner Weiland updated the Commission on the Riverdale neighborhood meeting regarding access to the property. The Dakota County Plat Commission denied variances for the proposed accesses along County Road 42 and recommended an access that goes to the west of the proposed site for a safer access. There will be a neighborhood meeting regarding the Century South Subdivision on Wednesday April 25th, from 6:30 to 7:30 pm, in the Community Room of City Hall. 8. Adjournment There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 7:54 pm.